Chs.3-5

Overview

3:52-66

4:1-10

4:11-17

4:18-22

5:1-10

5:11-18

5:19-22

Summary

Conclusion

A. Find Out:

1. What 3 pictures does he use to convey what happened? v.52-54

2. So what did he do? v.55

3. What response did he get? v.56,57

4. What does he know the Lord has seen and heard? v.58-63

5. What does he ask the Lord to do? v.64

6. How does he extend that? v.65,66

B. Think:

1. What 3 stages of awareness come through now in these verses?

2. How does that lead him to pray and why do you think that is?

C. Comment:

     In the previous part of this chapter the writer had come through to a place of acknowledging the Lord's sovereignty and their sin and subsequent need for repentance. He has been reiterating the awfulness of what has happened and he concludes that with 3 figurative pictures describing what has happened to him: he had been hunted, put into a pit and stoned and it felt like he was about to be drowned – death was very near. But in that place he called out to the Lord in desperation and was aware of the Lord drawing near and reassuring him.

     That had been a turning point. Up until then despair had almost overwhelmed him, but now there is hope, God is there, communication is open. See the order: the Lord heard (v.56), came near (v.57) and took up his case (v.58). Then he becomes aware that the Lord has seen and heard all that has gone on, the Lord KNOWS the wrongs that were committed in this act of judgement. It seems more likely he is writing as Jerusalem again – plotted against and mocked. In the face of the Lord's presence, he is now aware of the unrighteousness of the enemies of Jerusalem . Elsewhere in prophetic Scripture the Lord speaks against the wrong attitudes of those He had used to bring judgement, and He will not let that go; He will deal with it. It is that sense that the prophet catches as he prays and asks the Lord to come and deal with these enemies of Jerusalem , for that is right.

D. Application:

1. When we become aware of the Lord, we see the truth more clearly.

2. Truth demands that unrighteousness be dealt with.

Chapter: Lam 4

Passage: Lam 4:1-10

A. Find Out:    

1. What is the first thing identified that has changed? v.1

2. Who are next mentioned as changed? v.2

3. Whose state is next covered? v.3,4

4. Who and what are next contrasted? v.5

5. Who next are contrasted? v.7,8

6. Who are the final group contrasted? v.10

B. Think:

1. How is this like a poetic news documentary film?

2. What seems to be the main idea conveyed?

C. Comment:

     Having come to a place of repentance, the prophet does not just say, “Oh, it's all right now!” No, he has to live with the carnage. This isn't a case of “OK we can move on now” because the nature of what happened means it will take years if not decades to get over it – if ever!

     The writer now gives us snap shots of the changes that have taken place. This is like a bird's-eye view documentary, picking up on specific illustrations of things that have changed, things that have to be coped with now.

     The city once was known for its gold, but no longer (v.1). Actually the real gold, the real value of Jerusalem were the people, especially the young men who would be come its future but now they have been dashed and reshaped (v.2). The children of Jerusalem once knew prosperity but now they are waifs and strays who are hungry and thirsty (v.4) like modern pictures of famine. Once the affluent people ate well and dressed well, but now the few that are left are penniless in the streets while other bodies are piled in the ashes of pyres (v.5), which remind one of the judgement of Sodom (v.6). The princes in the palace were once well known for good, clean looks, but now the few that are left are dirty, starving, bags of bones (v.7,8). Most terrible of all, the mothers who were once so compassionate, have become cannibals, even killing and eating their own children to survive (v.10). How terrible.

D. Application:

1. Judgement has long term effects which do not just go away.

2. When judgement comes, late repentance does not avert the effects.

  

Chapter: Lam 4

Passage: Lam 4:11-17

A. Find Out:

1. What 4 things does he say that the Lord has done? v.11

2. Who didn't believe what could happen? v.12

3. Yet why did it happen? v.13

4. So how are they described? v.14,15

5. What happened to their relationship with the Lord? v.16

6. What was it futile to do? v.17

B. Think:

1. What had Jerusalem been like previously?

2. How do you think the prophets & priests failed?

3. So what is their plight now?

C. Comment:

     Some things are hard to imagine. The great stronghold of Jerusalem being entered by its enemies had been one such thing that had been difficult to imagine. But there it is now, in places burnt down even to the foundations. And why? Because those who supposedly represented God to the people had badly failed to do so! Prophets are supposed to call the people back to God with the word from God. Priests are supposed to lead the people to God, and neither group had done their job, so that the people and their leaders went right away from God. Even worse they had encouraged unrighteousness.

     These men who had supposed to have been holy, men in contact with the holy God, carrying a sense of the awesomeness of God, now wandered the streets like destitute beggars. They stagger around the streets, groping around like blind men, overwhelmed by what has happened to them. They are the cause of all this, the blood of the people is on them – and the people know it deep down and so they are outcasts and no one will go near them! Even more than that, the world sees and knows and no one else wants to know them either. They have no honour because they have dishonoured the Lord. They looked and looked for someone to come and save them, but there was no one and so they looked in vain!

D. Application:

1. God's representatives have a high level of accountability.

2. God's children generally have a high level of responsibility.

Chapter: Lam 4

Passage: Lam 4:18-22

A. Find Out:

1. What had happened to them? v.18,19

2. What wrong thought had they held onto? v.20

3. Who is told to rejoice? v.21a

4. Yet what will happen to them? v.21b

5. What will eventually happen to Jerusalem ? v.22a

6. But what will God yet do? v.22b

B. Think:

1. What picture of the thoroughness of the judgement is given?

2. How had their thinking been false?

3. Why will Edom be judged?

C. Comment:

     This passage has two distinct halves: first the continuation of the lament over what had happened to them, then a warning to Edom . First the continued lament. No one had come to save them and eventually the siege had come to an end with the enemy breaching the defences and pouring in. They poured through the city cleaning out the inhabitants and even those who hid were stalked (v.18) and so those who could, fled but they were chased across the country (v.19); there was no escape. They had thought that because they were special in God's eyes they would be saved (v.20) but they weren't!

     Second, the warning. Edom had stood aloof and had refused to join an alliance with Israel and Egypt against Babylon . Edom had always been an enemy and had just looked on with satisfaction and eventually Nebuchadnezzar had rewarded their neutrality with some of Israel 's land. Your turn will come, says the prophet. Don't think you will escape. God will deal with your sin and wickedness. The same fate awaits you. You will be stripped by the enemy in the same way!

     Now notice in the midst of this a statement of faith: Jerusalem , God will not prolong your exile! i.e. it will not be for ever, there will be an end to it. There is an end to this punishment. In the light of all the anguish he is feeling this is a remarkable declaration of faith and hope!

D. Application:

1. Don't rejoice over the disciplining of others. Watch yourself!

2. Discipline never lasts for ever. There will be an end.

Chapter: Lam 5

Passage: Lam 5:1-10

A. Find Out:

1. What is his cry to the Lord? v.1

2. How are they under other people? v.2,5,8,9

3. How have they been decimated as a people? v.3

4. How are they suffering shortages? 4,9,10

5. Why had this happened? v.6,7

B. Think:

1. If you picked up this chapter alone, not knowing anything else about it,

    what picture would be conveyed?

2. In what ways does the writer show their plight?

3. What awareness does he give of the reason for it?

C. Comment:

     In many ways this chapter seems a summary or synopsis of what has gone before. In this first section of it the writer calls to the Lord (v.1) to look and see the effect of His judgement and in this part he focuses on their plight as caused by foreigners.

     He reminds the Lord that Israel and Jerusalem was their inheritance and (implied) it was given by the Lord. But now, this land given to God's people has been taken away from them and given to foreigners (v.2). These aliens had come and decimated the population of Judah and Jerusalem and so now the few that are left have had whole parts of their families taken and they alone are left (v.3). The enemy still pursued them (v.5) and the land is in the hands of slaves, those under the rule of Babylon (v.8).

     Economically they are in dire straights. Water now costs them (v.4) and the only wood available has to be bought. If they want bread (v.9) they have to go looking for someone in the countryside who might make it and in doing this they expose themselves to the risk of being hunted and killed. In the heat of the day, without food (v.10) they are feverish. And the reason for all this? They sinned (v.7) and had turned to Egypt and Assyria (v.6) and not the Lord for help and provision. Rejecting His help they fell to the enemy, hence their present plight.

D. Application:

1. Do we look to people or the Lord for our provision?

2. Is God our protection and security?

   

Chapter: Lam 5

Passage: Lam 5:11-18

A. Find Out:

1. What had happened to their women? v.11

2. What had happened to their leaders? v.12,14a

3. What was the place of young men and children now? v.13,14b

4. How has life changed and why? v.15,16

5. How has that left them feeling about Jerusalem ? v.17,18a

6. What is the closing picture of Jerusalem ? v.18b

B. Think:

1. How does looking at people tell of the disaster?

2. What is their emotional state at the end of all this?

3. What does the final picture convey?

C. Comment:

     If you go to an art shop you may find a ‘painting by numbers' kit that enables the person with no painting skill to fill in the picture with the right colours. The writer of Lamentations is a bit like that. He fills in bit by bit the terrible picture that is Jerusalem at the time of his writing.

     The earlier verses had more generally conveyed the plight of Jerusalem but here he paints in more detail. Women had been ravaged by the plundering hordes, the leaders had been summarily dealt with or just cast aside as worthless, and the generation of older men had been decimated so that only young men and children are left to scrabble for survival in the ruins. A city that once knew joy and noise is now silent and mourning. The city that once wore a crown as a city that stood out with authority and prosperity has been brought down.

     Consider what those remaining now feel about Jerusalem in the twofold description: first their hearts faint. There is no strength left in them, they feel weak. But then, “our eyes grow dim for Mount Zion ”. Their hopes and dreams for this once wonderful city are dashed and they wonder if there is any future. No wonder as they look at the piles of burnt stones with the wind blowing through with no resistance. It is a city left to the wild animals to have free access. The walls have gone and the people are decimated. It is now a ruined place for the wildlife!

D. Application:

1. Calamity should act as a warning to us.

2. We thus need to understand and feel the extent of the calamity.

Summary  

The Physical effect on Jerusalem

• her treasures have been taken – 1:10
• she has been burnt – 1:13
• her gates are destroyed – 2:9

The effect on the People

• they have been taken into exile – 1:3,5,18
• the remaining people are destitute – 4:5
• women have been ravished – 5:11
• children work in the streets – 5:13

The effect on the leaders

• the princes have fled – 1:6
• the priests and prophets perished or are scattered – 1:19 , 4:16
• the king and princes are exiled – 2:9
• the elders mourn in silence – 2:10
• the remaining princes are bags of bones – 4:7,8
• princes have been killed – 5:12
• elders have been disdained – 5:12

The economic state of Jerusalem

• people barter their treasures for food - 1:11
• the children are starving – 2:11 ,12, 4:4
• there is famine and cannibalism – 4:9,10
• there is a shortage of water – 5:4
• there is a shortage of wood for fires – 5:4

How her enemies view her

• her foes have become her master – 1:5
• her enemies laughed at her destruction – 1:7
• the enemy took her treasures – 1:10
• her enemies rejoiced over what happened – 1:21
• passers by mock her – 2:15
• her enemies scoff against her – 2:16

Comeback on her enemies

• she expects the same to happen to them – 1:21 ,22
• the writer calls for Edom to be deal with 4:21 ,22

What Jerusalem feels

• she weeps – 1:2,16, 2:11 ,18

The cause for all this

• Jerusalem has sinned – 1:8
• the Lord has done this – 1:5,12-15,17, 2:1-8, 17, Ch.3, 4:11 ,16
• she rebelled against God – 1:18 ,20
• the prophets had not called the people back to the Lord – 2:14
• the priests and prophets had sinned – 4:13
• their fathers had sinned – 5:7

Calls to the Lord

• to look and consider what He's done – 2:20-22
• he acknowledges their sin – 3:42
• he testifies that the Lord heard him – 3:55 -57
• he calls on the Lord to uphold his cause – 3:58 -60
• he calls on the Lord to deal with their enemies – 3:61-66
• he calls the Lord to deal with Edom – 4:21 -22
• he asks the Lord to look again on them – 5:1-
• he calls to the Lord for restoration – 5:20 -22

Personal Anguish

• the writer has been afflicted by the Lord – 3:1-6
• he feels he cannot escape – 3:7-9
• he feels he has been mugged, shot and flattened – 3:10-16
• his peace is gone and he feels downcast – 3:17 -20

Hope

• they are not completely consumed – 3:22
• this is because of the Lord's love – 3:22 ,23
• God blesses those who seek Him – 3:25 ,26
• it is good to be chastised and held to account – 3:27-30
• because there will then be an end eventually – 3:31 -33

The Lord's Sovereignty

• God sees all thing – 3:34 -36
• God decrees these things – 3:37 ,38
• God's sovereignty is declared – 5:19

CONCLUDING COMMENTS